THE TIMES' CASE JEOPARDISED.

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 98, 23 February 1889, Page 3

THE TIMES' CASE JEOPARDISED.

£y Electnc Telegraph.—Copyright J PER UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION. I London, FftWruary 20. When under examination before the Special Commission to-day, Hous» tcm produced a statement written by Pigott asserting that Tynan, who was believed to he "Number One," and Frank Byrne had contemplated murdering the Prince of Wales and Mr : Gladstone. A statement was mentioned that Parnell and Egan were the prime movers in the murders and the outrages committed ; also that J. Gk Biggar and J. Dillon were accessories. Mr Houston, secretary of the Patriotic League, in his evidence before the Times Parnell Commission, stated that he employed Pigott in 1885 and 1886 to collect material for a pamphlet entitled " Parnellism Unmasked." For writing this, Professor Macuire, of Dublin, received an advance of LBOO, and L7OO was paid to Pigott and others. In 1885 witness applied to Mr Buckle, editor of The Times, to buy the letters, without success. Next jear he applied again and this time Mr Buckle consented. Houston stated he paid Pigott LSOO for the letters and LI2BO for expenses. He made no profit out of the sale. February 21. Before the Commission, to-day, Sir C. Bussell produced a letter addressed to Archbishop Walsh, written before The Times published the fac similes of the letter. In this communication Pigott stated that a plot was being hatched, the object of which was for discrediting the Parnellite leaders, and which he alone was able to frustrate. Being unable to give j any explanation of this letter, the evidence j given by Pigott is much discredited, and, it is thought, has jeopardised the Tunes' case. In cross-examination by Sir C. Bussell, Pigott admitted that he had informed Archbishop Walsh thai he was not a party to the attacks on Parnell, and he utterly foiled to explain the overtures he made to Archbishop Walsh. Pigott was made the subject of an exhibition while under cross-examination.